The recently renamed Philip I. Eliasoph Open VISIONS Forum has long been a source of stimulating dialogue and lifelong learning at Fairfield University.
“For nearly three decades, the lecture series has brought to Fairfield's stage eminent thought leaders, artists, humanitarians, social advocates, and iconic personalities of stage and screen,” said Philip I. Eliasoph, PhD, the series’ namesake, founder, moderator, and director. “Over the years, we've enjoyed the viewpoints of William F. Buckley, Jane Fonda, Stephen Sondheim, David McCullough, Isabel Allende, Harry Belafonte, Dustin Hoffman, Steven Forbes, Peggy Noonan, Ken Burns, and many more.”
Dr. Eliasoph, a professor of art history and visual culture who also serves as special assistant to the president for arts and culture, noted how the lecture series that now bears his name “was inspired by New England's enduring tradition of publicly accessible 'town hall gatherings’—allowing for cross examination and questioning on issues of personal and public significance.”
He described the conversations with thought leaders from across disciplines who graced the Regina A. Quick Center for the Arts stage during the fall 2025 semester: “A behind-the-scenes look at Washington, D.C., during World War II was presented by local author and historical sleuth Edward Aldrich. Dr. Eboo Patel's inspiring keynote challenged us to find more empathetic ways for an expanding definition of the American family. The legal and ethical landscape of AI technologies was questioned by Dr. John Tasioulas, while conservative CNN panelist and spokesperson Scott Jennings offered his critique of the strained political institutions threatening the nation's stability.”
“The fragility of internal politics within the tragic stage of the Middle East was discussed by Stav Shaffir, former member of the Israeli Knesset,” continued Dr. Eliasoph, “and questions about the Smithsonian Institution’s acquisition process of sacred artifacts and art objects from Africa, Asia, and Europe were examined by Dr. Caroline Angle Maguire.”
Closing out the fall 2025 semester, Padma Lakshmi—Emmy-nominated producer, television host, food expert, and New York Times best-selling author—will join the University community on Dec. 18 for a lively discussion on food, culture, and identity. Attendees may recognize Lakshmi as the creator, host, and executive producer of the critically acclaimed Hulu series, Taste the Nation.
Excitement is already building for the spring Eliasoph OVF lineup. The return of documentarian Ken Burns is currently sold out, but a live-feed experience has been added, to welcome more audience members into the intimate conversation.
“We are thrilled to have master film documentarian Ken Burns return to Fairfield after a 20-year pause,” said Dr. Eliasoph. “With his brilliantly executed film series, The American Revolution, we observe a far more nuanced—and greatly inclusive—view of the drivers, unexpected surprises, and nearly divine interventions that impacted how colonial farmers and merchants overthrew the world's greatest imperial domain.”
Other thought leaders visiting campus this spring include: Kaitlan Collins, CNN White House correspondent; Scott Rothkopf, Alice Pratt Brown Director of the Whitney Museum; Elaine Pagels, PhD, Harrington Professor of History of Religion at Princeton University; Jim Sciutto, CNN’s chief national security analyst; Barry Stein, MD, vice president and chief clinical innovation officer at Hartford HealthCare; Elizabeth Weitzman, journalist and film critic; Gina Barreca, PhD, author and feminist humor maven; David Brooks, journalist and culture and political commentator; and Stephen Wilkes, photographer and National Geographic Explorer.
The Burns lecture, along with many of the Eliasoph OVF conversations, is part of America250: The Promise and Paradox, the initiative through which the University is exploring 250 years of the American experiment.
“Another highlight this spring, consistent with our investigation into the pivotal events defining American arts and culture, will be our evening with Scott Rothkopf, director of the Whitney Museum of American Art,” predicted Dr. Eliasoph. “And, we can expect the unexpected as the philosophical dilemmas of contemporary life are spelled out by Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist and author David Brooks.”
